That's a wrap for the 20th birthday of the Deni Ute Muster. Everything Australian was celebrated, from country tunes, the iconic ute and of course the AFL final. Missed out on the action or want to relive it? Meet some of the punters, artists and find out the final Blue Singlet Count. This year saw almost 18,000 attendees and organisers counted in excess of 7,000 utes around the ground. Ray Harrison has come along to the ute muster for 10 years. “My daughter comes along with me as well,” he said. “We’ve made friends and continue to meet up with them.” Kylie Davis is a Ute Muster regular. “This is my sixth year and I come from Bendigo,” she said. “It’s carefree, good music and it’s good for everyone.” Kylie and her husband first came to Deni as an early date and now come along as a family. “It’s been a nice weekend for it,” she said. Bill Hayes travelled from Melbourne to attend his very first Deni Ute Muster with his granddaughter. “She wanted to go and I said ‘You’re not going alone.’ so she booked us tickets,” he said. “I’ve known of it and the camping doesn’t phase me because I have done it a lot. “I think this is something that is needed to boost morale.” Mr Hayes said he hopes to come back again in a couple of years because he is sure it will be even bigger and better. Chris Coady travelled by himself from Forbes. “It’s my first time and it has been a bit of a bucket list item,” he said. “I came by myself and made friends and the first night was hectic. “I bought a singlet and got into the count as well.” Rebecca Skinner made the trip with some of her best mates, leaving the family behind for this one. “We have been talking about it for 14 years and thought it was about time,” she said. “I am loving it. I grew up in Canberra, but I am a bit of a country girl at heart. “We’ll be here next year. We left the husbands and kids behind, but next year they can come.” Jaycee Digny, from Broadford, had no hesitation in bringing her 22 month year old along. “We have been here four times,” she said. “It’s a really family-friendly event, Paisley is loving it. She loved the concert so much she was even dancing.” Dressed in the iconic blue singlet, thousands streamed into the main stage arena for the count. This year’s Blue Single Count was an impressive 2,998. How many times have you performed at the Deni Ute Muster? This is my fifth time. It has changed so much, it’s really well recognised over Australia now. You mention ‘Deni’ and people say ‘Oh the ute muster.’. You could be coming here for any reason, but people will think it is for the Ute Muster. Every year, they have more and more things on offer. We walked past the day stage, which is where I started, and now there’s plenty to do. There is something for everyone. The headliners are having to up the ante every year. Is it exciting to be performing on the same stage as Carrie Underwood? It’s pretty huge to have Carrie Underwood. I did say to my band ‘we have to be good, we are on before Carrie.’. Are events like this important during times like the drought? A. If people are able to come out and have some time off, they are probably finding people who are in a similar situation to them. Feeling alone when you’re struggling is the hardest part, but here finding other people who are also struggling and have in the past can give you some hope. What can your fans expect next? My new album, my sixth album. I have put a lot of effort into making it upbeat, fun and something I enjoy. How many times have you performed at the Deni Ute Muster? Tom: This is our second time, we arrived at the exact same time last year. The foot was going, the crowd was going nuts and the only thing different is the weather is way better. Jeremy: Last time it was slushy mud, we stopped on the way in to get mud boots actually. How has your music changed over the past 10 years performing as a duo? Tom: It’s gotten better, you would want to hope it has. At the end of it, it’s selling stories and using our harmonies and acoustic sounds. We have become more travelled so have more things to write about. What’s it like performing at the Deni Ute Muster? Jeremy: It’s great. It’s one of those festivals that people turn up to. It’s pretty thrilling. With the grand final, everyone has had a few beers and is ready to party by the time we are on. How many times have you performed at the Deni Ute Muster? I have lost track. It’s not a lot, but have a few years. I think the first time was in 2007 or 2007, so about 10 years ago. Probably about four times. How has the Ute Muster changed? A. It’s not a just a party anymore. There’s a family element here. You can come here and find whatever you want to find here. There’s the paddock of people who want to rev their utes and stay up and get drunk and get wild, which is great. There’s also new fresh blood with people bringing their kids. If you’re not having fun at Deni, it’s not the event – you’re a dud. What is it like performing to the crowd at the Deni Ute Muster? A. It’s high octane. Not to make car puns at a ute muster, but you know the second you step out there that these guys are revheads and they want fast, now, loud. It certainly starts at a level that’s slightly higher than other festivals and then it goes to a level that we come off stage with raspy voices. You’ve collaborated with Amber Lawrence in the past, does this event provide an opportunity to catch up with other artists? A. Definitely, this setup is really good. There’s a couple of fire pits and couches we can hang out on. You notice when you walk around these country events, not many people shut the door on their dressing room. I have been involved in other genres a little bit and it’s not something that happens at other festivals. I guess it’s a country people thing. My door is wide open, Amber’s door is wide open and Busby Marou’s door is wide open. Missed out on Carrie Underwood’s performance? Take a look at this video to check it out. The Deni Ute Muster annually attracts close to 20,000 people of all ages to celebrate all things Australian and, of course, the iconic ute. It all started back in 1999, when a group of locals came together with the aim to start a rural themed festival to bring visitors to Deniliquin which was struggling with a crippling drought. The first Deni Play on the Plains Festival, as it was known at the time, took place in October 1999, on the flattest, natural, open plains on earth, and with “ute culture” being an intrinsic part of Deniliquin, it was unanimous that it would play a major part of the festival and hence the Deni Ute Muster burst into the national psyche. In its first year, the Deni Ute Muster had approximately 5000 patrons and set a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of legally paraded utes at 2839 – a record which still stands today.

Meet some of the artists

Amber Lawrence:

This is my fifth time. It has changed so much, it’s really well recognised over Australia now. You mention ‘Deni’ and people say ‘Oh the ute muster.’. You could be coming here for any reason, but people will think it is for the Ute Muster. Every year, they have more and more things on offer. We walked past the day stage, which is where I started, and now there’s plenty to do. There is something for everyone. The headliners are having to up the ante every year.

Is it exciting to be performing on the same stage as Carrie Underwood?

It’s pretty huge to have Carrie Underwood. I did say to my band ‘we have to be good, we are on before Carrie.’.

Are events like this important during times like the drought?

A. If people are able to come out and have some time off, they are probably finding people who are in a similar situation to them. Feeling alone when you’re struggling is the hardest part, but here finding other people who are also struggling and have in the past can give you some hope.

What can your fans expect next?

My new album, my sixth album. I have put a lot of effort into making it upbeat, fun and something I enjoy.

Busby Marou (Tom Busby and Jeremy Marou):

Tom: This is our second time, we arrived at the exact same time last year. The foot was going, the crowd was going nuts and the only thing different is the weather is way better.

Jeremy: Last time it was slushy mud, we stopped on the way in to get mud boots actually.

How has your music changed over the past 10 years performing as a duo?

Tom: It’s gotten better, you would want to hope it has. At the end of it, it’s selling stories and using our harmonies and acoustic sounds. We have become more travelled so have more things to write about.

What’s it like performing at the Deni Ute Muster?

Jeremy: It’s great. It’s one of those festivals that people turn up to. It’s pretty thrilling. With the grand final, everyone has had a few beers and is ready to party by the time we are on.

Travis Collins

FEEL THE RHYTHM: Travis Collins. Picture: Ferris Davies PRM

How many times have you performed at the Deni Ute Muster?

I have lost track. It’s not a lot, but have a few years. I think the first time was in 2007 or 2007, so about 10 years ago. Probably about four times.

How has the Ute Muster changed?

A. It’s not a just a party anymore. There’s a family element here. You can come here and find whatever you want to find here. There’s the paddock of people who want to rev their utes and stay up and get drunk and get wild, which is great. There’s also new fresh blood with people bringing their kids. If you’re not having fun at Deni, it’s not the event – you’re a dud.

What is it like performing to the crowd at the Deni Ute Muster?

A. It’s high octane. Not to make car puns at a ute muster, but you know the second you step out there that these guys are revheads and they want fast, now, loud. It certainly starts at a level that’s slightly higher than other festivals and then it goes to a level that we come off stage with raspy voices.

You’ve collaborated with Amber Lawrence in the past, does this event provide an opportunity to catch up with other artists?

A. Definitely, this setup is really good. There’s a couple of fire pits and couches we can hang out on. You notice when you walk around these country events, not many people shut the door on their dressing room. I have been involved in other genres a little bit and it’s not something that happens at other festivals. I guess it’s a country people thing. My door is wide open, Amber’s door is wide open and Busby Marou’s door is wide open.

Missed out on Carrie Underwood’s performance? Take a look at this video to check it out.

The first Deni Play on the Plains Festival, as it was known at the time, took place in October 1999, on the flattest, natural, open plains on earth, and with “ute culture” being an intrinsic part of Deniliquin, it was unanimous that it would play a major part of the festival and hence the Deni Ute Muster burst into the national psyche.

In its first year, the Deni Ute Muster had approximately 5000 patrons and set a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of legally paraded utes at 2839 – a record which still stands today.